Thomas Rowley (poet)
Thomas Rowley (March 24, 1721 - 1796) was a colonial American poet of Vermont, known as the spokesman for Ethan Allen and dubbed “The Bard of the Green Mountains.” During his lifetime and before the American Revolution, his poetry gained a wide reputation with the catchphrase of "Setting the Hills on Fire." Life Rowley was born in Hebron, Connecticut, the son of Samuel Rowley and Elizabeth (Fuller), and great grandson of Samuel Fuller (Mayflower).Mayflower Families Through Five Generations: Family of Samuel Fuller, General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1996 Thomas married Lois Cass in Hebron in 1744 and they had 7 known children in Hebron and Kent, Connecticut. Thomas Rowley moved to the town of Danby, Rutland co., Vermont, in 1768, with his wife and family. The Rowleys are listed as some of the original settlers of Danby, Thomas was the 1st town clerk. In Danby, Thomas became acquainted with and joined with Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys a growing Vermont militia named after the Green Mountains of Vermont comprised mostly from freemen in Rutland County and neighboring Addison County. The Green Mountain Boys were concerned New York would claim all the lands of Vermont known at the time as a dispute over the New Hampshire Grants. As early as 1774, Rowley moved even further north to the eastern shore of Lake Champlain to the town of Shoreham in Addison County, Vermont, with his wife and family. The state of New York was visible right across the lake. Here Thomas built a hotel. His land was known as "Rowley's Point" at the current landmark of Larabee's Point. During the American Revolution, the American settlers abandoned Shoreham and the Champlain Valley as the British dominated the lake region. Thomas returned to live in the town of Danby during the American Revolution. He served as Danby's town clerk and representative in the General Assembly from 1778 to 1782. After the war ended, Thomas Rowley returned to live in Shoreham as early as 1783. He is on record serving as the initial surveyor and clerk of Shoreham in 1783. He resided in Shoreham for the rest of his life as an innkeeper and farmer. He died in 1796 in Benson or Cold Springs, Vermont, at the home of his son, Nathan Rowley. He is buried in Jenison Cemetery in Shoreham, Vermont.Thomas Rowley, Find a Grave, September 17, 2006. Web, Jan. 27, 2019. Writing As Ethan Allen's spokesman, Rowley's poetry became legendary for the proverbial setting the hills on fire. "Thomas Rowley’s poems overflowed with a pioneer's pride in Vermont. He had once motivated the men of Vermont to fight for their independence as a state against a feudal system that was threatened on them from New York."Rowley, 2002. Rowley's verses were mainly published in the Rural Magazine and the Bennington Gazette. A motivational poems (later simply called "To Rutland Go") was originally published with a longer title which invited new settlers to Vermont as the paradise compared to New York, as follows: An Invitation to the Poor Tenants that Live Under Their Poor Patrons in the Province of New York, To Come and Settle on Our Good Lands, Under the New Hampshire Grants. This poem is exemplary of his style and message: :West of the Mountains Green :Lies Rutland Fair '' :''The best that ever was seen :For land and air... :We value not New York '' :''With all her Powers '' :''Here we'll stay and Work :The land is Ours... :This is the noble land by conquest won :Took from a savage band by sword and gun :We drove them to the west, they could not stand the test ::-''from "To Rutland Go” by Thomas Rowley, 1760s''Hemingway, 1860.Williams, 1869, pp. 240-242 http://books.google.com/books?id=MaTK0RV4OqcC&pg=PA13&vq=Rowley#PPA240,M1. Rowley's poetry focused not only on politics, but also on the pleasantriss and rustic nature of pioneer life, with humor and witty observations. For example, in another poetic inventory of his "estate", he sums up that he has virtually nothing, but still he is independent and happy. Notable poems *''To Rutland Go'' *''When Caesar Reigned King In Rome'' - this poem was written to complain that New York courts sentenced Ethan Allen to death, circa 1774 and attached to a petition by Ethan Allen.Williams, 1869, p. 30 See also *Colonial American poets *List of U.S. poets References * Hemingway, Abby Maria, editor. "Poets and Poetry of Vermont", Hemingway Volume 29, (Boston: Brown, Taggard & Chase; Brattleboro, Vermont: W. Felton, 1860). * DAR. The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Rolls of Honor, 5:126; 25:49; 162:236. * Vermont Historical Society. Vermont History, 37:249; 65:434. * Shoreham, Vermont Place Names, p. 63 * The Literature of Vermont. Hanover: University Press of New England, 1973. * Town of Shoreham, Original Town Records, p. 14-15. * MacIntire, Susan and Witherell, Sanford. Genealogical Register of the Families of Shoreham. VT: 1984. * Rowley, Irene. The Golden Rowley collection, Volume 1: "The Genealogy and Known Descendents of Daniel Rowley the Pioneer Land Dealer". Rowley, 2002, pages 93–94. * Williams, John C. The History and Map of Danby, Vermont, McLean & Robbins, 1869. pp. 13, 18, 21-22, 30-36, 70, 92, 239-244, 253. http://books.google.com/books?id=MaTK0RV4OqcC&vq=Rowley * Mayflower Families Through Five Generations: Volume Ten, Family of Samuel Fuller, General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1996 Notes External links ;Poems *"Riding on the Ice upon Lake Champlain" *"To Rutland Go" *Poems by Thomas Rowley (1721-1796) ;About *Thomas Rowley in the Vermont Encyclopedia *Thomas Rowley in the 1790 census *Thomas Rowley at Find a Grave Category:American poets Category:1721 births Category:1796 deaths Category:People from Rutland County, Vermont Category:People of pre-statehood Vermont Category:18th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets Category:Colonial American poets